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#1 2008-11-21 14:21:20

sendhil76
Member
Registered: 2008-11-21
Posts: 2

Supported processor list for Archlinux

Hello,

Got to know of Archlinux recently and was also told that the documentation is supposedly excellent...which piqued my interest as thats something which is usually lacking smile

This is my first visit to the website and also to the forum as the first thing that i noticed and have doubts on is that the homepage and the Wiki page for 'What is Archlinux?' mention to quote:

"Currently we have official packages optimized for the i686 and x86-64 architectures."

"Arch Linux is an independently developed i686/x86-64 optimized community distribution..."

What is meant by i686/x86-64?

First hand impression is that Archlinux is primarily geared towards Intel specific processors.  As looking into the GCC manual for optimization strings at:

http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc-4.3.2 … 64-Options

The AMD processor strings are totally separate from the Intel ones.

So what would be the list of processors that comprise i686/x86-64?? Are AMD processors a no no?

(And from a personal perspective, are the AMD K6-2 and Duron processors capable of running Archlinux?)

I would very much appreciate feedback from the creators/developers/users of Archlinux as this is one query to which i just could not find an answer even with mighty google to help me smile and i personally feel it will be of great help to people who are researching the use of Archlinux...and trying to figure out what the cryptic i686/x86-64 really means!

I will personally update the Wiki with relevant useful information from the proceeds of this thread discussion!

Thank you for your time and stay well!

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#2 2008-11-21 14:26:03

wuischke
Member
From: Suisse Romande
Registered: 2007-01-06
Posts: 630

Re: Supported processor list for Archlinux

Short: K6-2 no, every AMD processor starting with the Athlon (including the Duron), yes. If your AMD system supports 64bit, you will be able to use x86-64, too.

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#3 2008-11-21 15:01:28

Mr.Elendig
#archlinux@freenode channel op
From: The intertubes
Registered: 2004-11-07
Posts: 4,092

Re: Supported processor list for Archlinux

Sort and somewhat inaccurate version:
Anything that is x86 and p2 or newer should be fine, with the exception of:
K6-* (not a true i686)
C3 with samuel 2 and ezra cores (later Nehemiah cores works, most of the time)
Itanium (IA64 is not x86, even though some people seems to believe so)


Evil #archlinux@libera.chat channel op and general support dude.
. files on github, Screenshots, Random pics and the rest

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#4 2008-11-21 16:40:25

mianka
Member
From: BE LEUVEN
Registered: 2006-05-30
Posts: 229

Re: Supported processor list for Archlinux

And unofficially Powermac PPC 32-bit

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#5 2008-11-21 17:15:33

phrakture
Arch Overlord
From: behind you
Registered: 2003-10-29
Posts: 7,879
Website

Re: Supported processor list for Archlinux

Mr.Elendig wrote:

K6-* (not a true i686)

Actually, going off-topic here. The K6 processors ARE true i686 processors. In the spec, there are a few instructions that are listed as "optional" (cmov is the typical example here). GCC, on the otherhand, do NOT consider these instructions optional. The K6 processors don't support all the optional instructions, which is totally fine. GCC screws this one up, not VIA.

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#6 2008-11-21 19:25:58

Garns
Member
Registered: 2008-05-28
Posts: 239

Re: Supported processor list for Archlinux

phrakture wrote:
Mr.Elendig wrote:

K6-* (not a true i686)

Actually, going off-topic here. The K6 processors ARE true i686 processors. In the spec, there are a few instructions that are listed as "optional" (cmov is the typical example here). GCC, on the otherhand, do NOT consider these instructions optional. The K6 processors don't support all the optional instructions, which is totally fine. GCC screws this one up, not VIA.

Either I'm totally mistaken, or you mean AMD. Interesting fact nontheless, thanks.

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#7 2008-11-21 20:38:36

phrakture
Arch Overlord
From: behind you
Registered: 2003-10-29
Posts: 7,879
Website

Re: Supported processor list for Archlinux

Garns wrote:
phrakture wrote:
Mr.Elendig wrote:

K6-* (not a true i686)

Actually, going off-topic here. The K6 processors ARE true i686 processors. In the spec, there are a few instructions that are listed as "optional" (cmov is the typical example here). GCC, on the otherhand, do NOT consider these instructions optional. The K6 processors don't support all the optional instructions, which is totally fine. GCC screws this one up, not VIA.

Either I'm totally mistaken, or you mean AMD. Interesting fact nontheless, thanks.

Oh man, I read K6 and thought C3. The C3 is the VIA processor. As far as K6 details, I imagine it may be the same, though I've never looked into it.

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#8 2008-11-21 22:09:02

Allan
Pacman
From: Brisbane, AU
Registered: 2007-06-09
Posts: 11,365
Website

Re: Supported processor list for Archlinux

phrakture wrote:

Oh man, I read K6 and thought C3.

Very interesting form of dyslexia!

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#9 2008-11-21 22:41:34

LTSmash
Member
From: Aguascalientes - Mexico
Registered: 2008-01-02
Posts: 348
Website

Re: Supported processor list for Archlinux

Allan wrote:
phrakture wrote:

Oh man, I read K6 and thought C3.

Very interesting form of dyslexia!

xDDDDDDD


I would very much appreciate feedback from the creators/developers/users of Archlinux as this is one query to which i just could not find an answer even with mighty google to help me smile and i personally feel it will be of great help to people who are researching the use of Archlinux...and trying to figure out what the cryptic i686/x86-64 really means!

Any x86 CPU from Pentium Pro and afterwards (well not all, but almost xD).


Proud Ex-Arch user.
Still an ArchLinux lover though.

Currently on Kubuntu 9.10

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#10 2008-11-21 22:43:28

haxit
Member
From: /home/haxit
Registered: 2008-03-04
Posts: 1,247
Website

Re: Supported processor list for Archlinux

Allan wrote:
phrakture wrote:

Oh man, I read K6 and thought C3.

Very interesting form of dyslexia!

Haha! That was quite funny.


Archi686 User | Old Screenshots | Old .Configs
Vi veri universum vivus vici.

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#11 2008-11-22 11:31:48

sendhil76
Member
Registered: 2008-11-21
Posts: 2

Re: Supported processor list for Archlinux

Thank you everyone for the clarification and the tips!

The Pentium Pro processors were introduced in the market about 1995...and the AMD K6-2 about 1997...and still they do not qualify as i686?? Quite strange as two years is a very long life time in the processor business smile

As far as i can remember...the K6-2 was thrashing Intel P2 processors in tests and benchmarks...and as a personal user of both...i can vouch that my K6-2 system was way ahead of the P2 processor system...even though it sported lower spec. nos. (Mhz. etc) as compared to the P2...and then there was the debate of the fluffed up nos. and marketing gimmickry utilized by Intel...hmmmm...now as i think about all this...it seems AGES ago smile


In line with the discussion, the following should qualify for use with Archlinux:

AMD K7 series: Athlon,  Duron, Athlon MP, Mobile Athlon 4, Athlon XP, Mobile Duron, Sempron, Mobile Sempron

AMD K8 series: Opetron, Athlon 64 FX, Athlon 64, Mobile Athlon 64, Athlon XP-M, Sempron, Turion 64, Athlon 64 X2

Intel P6: Pentium Pro, Pentium 2, Celeron, Pentium 3, Pentium 4, Xeon, Pentium M, Celeron M, Pentium D, Pentium Core, Pentium Core2, Pentium Dual core, Pentium Atom.

Would appreciate it if additions/corrections are made to the above list! (I am quite clueless about Cyrix and VIA processors....reminds me that i used to work on a TI 486 processor based system ages ago!)

Thanks once again for the assistance...and stay well!

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